Artist: Amber W. Bird
Title: Contentment
Material: Linocut Print

About the artwork: The pointed arch represents reaching towards God. According to the Victorian language of flowers, the beautiful iris symbolizes faith, hope and courage.

I was too scared to hope for a pregnancy that didn't end in loss. Then I learned how to pray for my unborn child without the condition of if. When the birth came, it was early and traumatic, and my baby had to spend some time in the NICU. That, combined with the anxiety I'd felt throughout conception and pregnancy, led to a mental breakdown. Taking care of my baby became impossible alone.

The simple task of making a bottle used to be so overwhelming. Now, it is only mundane. Sleeping while the baby slept was impossible. Now it's how I survive. Hearing the hungry cries used to send me into a panic. Now, attending to my baby's needs brings waves of peace. It was easy to pass him off into someone else's care, but now the grandmas have to work hard to separate us.

Through daily effort of choosing to hold onto hope, act in faith and face hard things, I have reached a happy space of fulfillment. I have started a new page in my life-one of contentment. I look forward to the continuation of this incredible feeling in 2022.